Beginnings

This powerful, understated Danish drama offers a sharp and realistic portrait of a marriage coming to an end. Ane (another superb performance by Trine Dyrholm) and Thomas have not yet told their children about the divorce, but the plans are concrete: Thomas is about to move in with his new girlfriend. Then disaster strikes: Ane suddenly suffers a stroke. 

When she is brought home to recover, the couple decides to continue living together until Ane is back on her feet. While Ane fights fiercely to regain her former self, both will have to face this new reality, with all the obligations that come with it. Beginnings observes with great intensity the complex dynamics within a fragile family, finding hope where it was least expected.

Beginnings is director Jeanette Nordahl's second feature film and premiered earlier this year in the Panorama section of the 75th Berlinale, where it was nominated for a Panorama Audience Award. Lead actress Trine Dyhorlm was our guest of honour last year and can also be seen this year in Zinnini Elkington's Second Victims (2025) and in the Benelux premiere of The Danish Woman (Benedikt Erlingsson, guest of honour in 2025) - this series can be seen in its entirety on Saturday at the Northern Film Festival.